By Thia James

New development brings jobs, investment to P.A.

Feb 23, 2015 | 5:54 AM

A major new development could come to Prince Albert’s West Hill and it could include office/retail space, a new restaurant and a gas station.

Council is expected to make a decision about an application to re-zone a parcel of land at 985 25th Street West. The unnamed developer is looking to build a shopping centre, which would require some of the lands to be re-zoned.

The prospect of the new centre being built in the West Hill area is exciting for Mayor Greg Dionne.

“That property has been up for development for quite a while. So, I’m very pleased to hear that someone is stepping forward now and is finally going to develop that project. And I think they’re forward thinkers, because our next, of course, residential development plan, is no secret, is around the soccer centre [Alfred Jenkins Field House] in the West Hill.”

Dionne said the West Hill is starting to grow, with developments like Lakeshore Estates.

Event Centre funding

City may hire lobbyist for event centre money

13h ago

International honours

Raiders' Kubiesa to represent Czechia at IIHF U18 Men's World Championship

17h ago

Learn the signs

How often should you change your brakes?

21h ago

The strip mall will have three spots for office or retail space, as well as a restaurant with a drive-thru, and a gas station with a convenience store. It would be just northeast of the Alfred Jenkins Field House and adjacent to the Victoria Hospital. The land is currently privately held.

This potential new strip mall isn’t one of the three economic developments that Dionne referenced during his State of the City Address at the end of January. Dionne said this is a new one.

“This one has just come to us and we’re really excited about it because that just shows that people are looking at investing and building in the city,” Dionne said.

The developer hasn’t disclosed which businesses will be moving in once the project is completed. Dionne said developers normally don’t because they want to keep this information close to their chest.

However, he does know one of the businesses is a franchise, and he will leave that announcement to the developer to make.

When the project would be complete is not yet known – it’s one of the questions Dionne plans to put forward on Monday. But he has looked at a set of plans for the development, and what he’s seen is giving him confidence that it’ll move forward quickly.

Other items on Monday’s council agenda

On Monday, Prince Albert’s city council will hold its first meeting under the new meeting format.

Council meetings are now three weeks apart, meaning the agendas will now include more content to be covered. Monday’s more than 700-page agenda will cover a number of issues requiring council approval.

The City is looking at lobbying the province to review the current fine for failing to yield for emergency vehicles. The City is considering asking the Prince Albert Police Service, Parkland Ambulance, St. John’s Ambulance and the Prince Albert Fire Department to educate residents about what to do when emergency signals are activated and the importance of obeying those signals.

The current fine for not yielding to an emergency vehicle within the City is $175, which includes the $125 ticket and the $50 surcharge. Drivers also receive demerit points.

Council will also consider a request to approve the mayor and members of council’s attendance at the 2015 Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) Annual Conference and Trade Show in Edmonton this June.

The approximate per person cost to attend the four-day conference is $3,879.59. Attendance is open to interested members of council.

As well, the City will be awarding the annual Terry Fox Award to a Prince Albert student. The award recognizes a young person who demonstrates the ideals of its namesake, the late Terry Fox. 

tjames@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @thiajames